Gratavinum 2pir 2022

Gratavinum 2pir comes from D.O.Q. Priorat, the steep Catalan appellation famed for its slate soils known locally as llicorella. The vines sit around Gratallops and Poboleda in the Priorat mountains, where the broken slate forces roots deep in search of water and feeds the wine its mineral, smoky signature. Old-vine Cariñena and Garnacha form the core, with younger Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah added for structure and aromatic lift. The poor soils and steep slopes give tiny yields of intensely concentrated fruit, ripened to 15% alcohol under the warm Mediterranean sun. Farming is organic. In the cellar the grapes are cold macerated for seven days before fermentation, drawing colour and aroma from the skins at low temperature without harshness, then the wine is aged for fourteen months in oak, where slow oxygen exchange knits the tannins and layers in spice. The wine is deep, near-opaque ruby. The nose shows dark plum, black cherry, liquorice and a stony, smoky minerality. The palate is full and firm, with dense tannins and a long savoury finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees, decanting an hour ahead. It calls for roast lamb or grilled beef.